As the use of computer applications spreads to more activities, there is a need to expand Human Computer Interaction (HCI) research from its traditional focus on ease of use to encompass broader social and organizational contexts. The rapid growth in the number of scholarly electronic journals presents an opportunity to examine users' perceptions concerning a computer application that plays a significant role in the users' social system. This study sought to determine whether or not factors such as relative advantage, compatibility, result demonstrability, ease of use, image, visibility, and voluntariness were involved in users' adoption of a refereed Web-based journal for informational, citation, and publication purposes. In addition, the study tested whether or not exposure to a prototype of a refereed Web-based journal would change users' perceptions concerning how well they would interact with the journal.
One hundred thirty-seven individuals participated in the study. The occupation of the study sample was primarily professional (n=53), followed by faculty in higher education (n=47), and graduate students (n=37). Participants completed a pre-exposure instrument, performed nine tasks with a prototype of a refereed Web-based journal, and then completed a post-exposure instrument. The instrument used was based on one developed by Moore and Benbasat (1991) that examines an individual's perceptions concerning the use of a technological innovation.
Results of the study revealed that the factors of relative advantage, compatibility, result demonstrability, ease of use, image, visibility, and voluntariness were all significant predictors of users' self-predicted (a) future use of a refereed Web-based journal for informational purposes; (b) willingness to cite articles in a refereed Web-based journal; (c) willingness to submit an article to a refereed Web-based journal; (d) willingness to submit an article to a refereed Web-based journal before submitting the article to a print journal; and (e) willingness to submit an article to a refereed Web-based journal after rejection by a print journal. The study also determined that exposure to a prototype of a refereed Web-based journal can significantly and positively increase users' perceptions concerning interaction with a Web-based journal.
References
Bradley, J. (1997). Social context of human computer interaction: An examination of user adoption of electronic journals. Unpublished Dissertation, University of North Texas, Denton. (Note: Dissertation was published and indexed under the name: Janette Bradley Scannell)
Moore, G. C., & Benbasat, I. (1991). Development of an instrument to measure the perceptions of adopting an information technology innovation. Information Systems Research, 2(3), 192-222.